


darling

by steviesbucks



Series: monkeying around [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Jemma Simmons Is Bad at Flirting, Meet-Cute, No Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steviesbucks/pseuds/steviesbucks
Summary: Jemma was only mildly exhausted as she led Layla into the shop, her little girl babbling on about something she’d seen in the window. She’d been at uni and then had immediately gone to pick Layla up after her final lecture of the day. She’d needed to pop to a shop for some milk but then Layla caught sight of a toy shop and had begged to go in. Jemma didn’t really feel like arguing with a hyper five year old so she relented after saying they could take a quick glance around.
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Series: monkeying around [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877896
Comments: 8
Kudos: 41





	darling

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! After the angst I posted earlier this week, I thought I should probably write some fluff to even things out!  
> As always, massive thanks to my betas [hazzarat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazzarat) and [showzen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/showzen) !! I couldn't write without y'all <3

Jemma was only mildly exhausted as she led Layla into the shop, her little girl babbling on about something she’d seen in the window. She’d been at uni and then had immediately gone to pick Layla up after her final lecture of the day. She’d needed to pop to a shop for some milk but then Layla caught sight of a toy shop and had begged to go in. Jemma didn’t really feel like arguing with a hyper five year old so she relented after saying they could take a quick glance around. 

Upon entering, she was honestly blown away at the sheer volume of  _ things  _ crammed into this quite small shop. There were traditional board games, chess sets and more modern games like operation and cluedo stacked onto one shelf. Some jigsaw puzzles were on the lower shelves- sets of lego and boxes of other assorted building blocks were stacked on another shelf. Sets of simple animal bricks and alphabet blocks were again set out on the smaller shelves, seemingly accessible for the younger patrons. What caught Layla’s eye, however, was the train track in the middle of the shop. Set on a slightly raised table, the train zipped round and round, occasionally letting out a little whistle and after a few loops, stopping so little mechanical people could get off and walk back on again. It was amazing, really, nothing short of genius; Jemma wondered who had the time to build something like that. 

_ “Mum, can I go look at the train properly?”  _

“Sure, love, but just don’t touch it, alright?” Layla shook her head and shot off to watch the train go round and round. Jemma smiled and took another look around the shop- she noticed a cardboard stand set up near the counter and what looked to be homemade teddies set up on it. There were ones in the shape of bears, some looking like little cats- but the teddy that really caught her eye was the little monkey sat in the corner all on its own. She picked it up and admired the neat stitching and attention to detail- the bear had a smile stitched onto its little face and large, round eyes that pulled the whole thing together. She turned the teddy over and was very pleased to find a springy little tail. She was perfectly content to inspect the bear like she  _ wasn’t  _ a 22 year old here with her daughter when a door opening from beside her startled her into dropping the bear onto the counter. 

The man who emerged from the door was.. handsome, and that was putting it mildly. His blue button-up was loose but sleeves rolled up to his forearms displayed his lean muscle very well. He had a decent scruff growing but not in a way that looked lazy and his hair was wavy- probably tamed down from some more unruly curls that Jemma wouldn’t mind getting her hands in- but she didn’t get much further in her observations as she realised he was saying something to her. 

“Uh, miss, are you.. wanting to buy that?”    
  
“What? Oh, I- sure, yes, alright.” She spluttered, not even realising what she was agreeing to until she spotted the man typing something into the till. “That train contraption is quite something- can I ask where you bought it?”  _ What a stupid question, Jemma, why would he tell you that- _

“I made it, actually, so I’m not quite sure. That’ll be a fiver, by the way,” he answered, acting like it was no big deal that he’d built what might’ve been the coolest toy Jemma had seen ever in her life. 

_ Smart  _ **_and_ ** _ handsome? He’s a catch.  _

Jemma pointedly ignored her inner monologue and nodded, pulling a note out of her purse. She handed it over and picked up the monkey, studying it once again as he put the money in the register and turned his gaze back to her. 

“All done! Monkey’s all yours, miss.”    
  
“Please, call me Jemma.” She realised that it wasn’t really normal to introduce yourself to a shopkeeper you’d probably never see again and it  _ definitely  _ wasn’t normal to hold out your hand for him to shake but she was doing it before she could even tell herself not to. 

But she was holding out her right hand, the hand that was holding the monkey. Instead of just staring at her like she was mad, he delicately shook the monkey’s fuzzy paw, grinning all the while. Jemma knew she was bright red and retracted the teddy quickly, shaking her head. “I am.. so sorry, it’s been a really long day.” 

“No worries- I’ve had worse. Is that little girl who’s admiring my handiwork with you, by any chance?” He quizzed, stepping out from behind the counter. Jemma (somewhat) shamelessly let her gaze linger on his legs before she answered, a smile making its way onto her face as she watched Layla follow the train around the table it was on gleefully. 

“She is, yeah. Do you often get kids wandering in without their parents?”    
  
The shopkeeper shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. “Not too often, but it does happen on occasion. We are a toy shop, after all. Is she your little sister?”    
  
Jemma froze a little bit. No matter how attractive she thought this man was, and even if she knew him at all beyond buying a monkey teddy from him by accident, not many people her age were up for kids. That’s why Layla’s dad wasn’t in the picture, after all; whirlwind romance between year 12 and 13 had left her pregnant and her ex, Will, not wanting anything to do with her or their baby. 

Fuck Will. Jemma crossed her own arms, gaze laser focused on Layla. “She’s my daughter, actually.” 

“Oh! I mean- that sounds rude, uh- I just mean that’s great, great you’ve got her! That- I just mean-” He was the red one now, stumbling over his own words to display his lack of malice. 

Jemma laughed a little, turning to face the man. “It’s alright, no need to get your knickers in a twist- Layla’s great. She’s like my best friend, hence why we ended up in the toy shop when I was meant to be getting milk. No offence, by the way, this place is  _ amazing _ .”

“None taken, milk should always come before toy monkeys, I get it,” he replied, a cheeky grin on his face. He was much like a monkey himself, she’d decided, always inviting trouble with those beautifully blue eyes and delightfully long legs. “I’m Fitz, by the way- figured it was only polite to introduce myself seeing as though I know both of your names now.” 

“That must be a last name, right?” She was being much too nosy, she knew that, but he seemingly didn’t mind, nodding in response. 

“Yeah, you’re right. My first name is horrendous, though-  _ Leopold _ , who calls a kid that?”

“I think it’s rather nice! Why go by Fitz? Why not... Leo or- or Pold?” They both burst into peals of laughter as soon as she finished it, drawing Layla’s attention away from the train and to her mother instead. When she spotted the monkey still in Jemma’s hand, she gasped, dashing over as quick as her legs could carry her. 

_ “Is that for me, mum? Did you get me a monkey?” _

“I certainly did, darling!” Jemma handed the teddy over with a flourish, feeling her heart swell with love at the squeal her little girl gave, flinging her arms around her mum and exclaiming that she was the best mum ever. She bent down to press a kiss to Layla’s head, taking her hand that wasn’t holding her new teddy. “Now, I think it's time we get back on the path home.”    
  
“Can we come back? Please? I want to see the train again!”    
  
“You’re welcome back anytime, Layla,” Fitz reasoned, “as long as your mum says its alright.”    
  
The little girl gasped, looking up at him with wide eyes. “How do you know my name? Are you a wizard?”    
  
Jemma barely held back her giggles as Fitz made the most solemn face he could. “I’m afraid that’s a secret. I might be able to tell you one day, though.” 

Layla nodded with her entire body, still holding onto her mum’s hand. Jemma offered Fitz a smile, genuinely sad to leave his company. Making Layla happy and meeting him had easily been the best parts of her day so far- she hoped she could see him again some day. “Thank you again for the teddy, it’s really beautifully made.” 

“Thank you, Mr Shopkeeper!” Layla cried, shaking her monkey in glee. 

“You’re very welcome! Gotta take very good care of him, alright? He’s a very special monkey.” 

“Does he have magical powers too?” 

Fitz just gave the same cheeky grin he did earlier, shrugging his shoulders. “You’ll have to ask him about it.”    
  
Jemma shook her head, leading Layla towards the door. She turned back and gave Fitz a genuine smile before she left, giving him a little half wave. He waved back, arms crossed over his chest once more. Jemma  _ really _ hoped she got to see him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I really do appreciate it. Leave a comment or kudos if you'd like to see more because it was really refreshing to just write something happy!


End file.
